Lagondaforum

Subject: Front crank oil seal

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I want to renew the front oil seal on my LG45R. To remove the counter balance weight seems to require either engine out or radiator removal and shifting front crossmember forward. Both of these are pretty major for a relatively small job! Have I missed something obvious? Any advice gratefully received as, whilst underbody corrosion protection is an advantage, it is rather messy!

Subject: Re: Front crank oil seal

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I had a look at my M45, which as many of you know, has the engine mounted further back in the chassis - or to be more precise, on the LG the front of the chassis is moved closer to the engine which makes it very cramped up front.

The M45 radiator is trunnion mounted so easy to remove, along with the scafolding for the lights. With the LG the scafolding is behind the radiator and I'm not sure whether you would have to remove it as well, but certainly the rad would have to come off. The effect of moving the front of the chassis closer to the engine on an LG means that the cross member you mentioned is right in the way, so let's hope the bolts will undo and it will come away. Then it's brute force to undo the large nut I think ...

I would do all of this with the engine in the car and it's not a job I would enjoy...

Anyone else have any commments?

Colin M34

Ps I'm doing a similar task on my 16/80 but in this case it's the felt seal at the end of the camshaft and it's not a very enjoyable job either...

Subject: Re: Front crank oil seal

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Presume by counter balance weight you refer to the vibration damper. I have an LG6...didn't need to remove front crossmember on that to do this job, but certainly radiator needed to be out of the way.
Sounds like Lagonda were on a learning curve...you should get a V12 for this sort of fun...every "minor" job entails doing something major first...best I've discovered so far is bolts for master cylinder put in so that you need to remove torsion bar first... inserted the other way. you'd just undo the nuts & withdraw the bolts..job done. But the way they are, you have to remove the torsion bar...that "just" means removing bumper, headlamps & bar, front apron, radiator, front wing...then you can start removing the torsion bar. For some reason, I made up a tool to clean the master cylinder barrel in situ...

Laurence

Subject: Re: Front crank oil seal

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Thanks to all who have responded. I am now going through the intense mental preparation to commence the operation! So far I have replaced the gearbox mounting bushes and am dealing with rear axle leaks. The crank seal is simmering in abeyance. All this in aid of a trip to Italy for a wedding, via Slovenia for a holiday, in September. Could be a rip roaring success or. . . . . .